UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The final event group in the Penn State track & field preview series is the Nittany Lion middle-distance and distance running crew.
Penn State’s returning mid-distance/distance group features four First Team All-Americans, six Big Ten champions, and five school record holders.
WOMEN’S TEAM
The women’s middle-distance/distance team features a perennial 800-meter All-American, in junior Hayley Kitching, as well as senior Florence Caron, who has shown outstanding range from the 1500m/mile all the way up to the 10K. Kitching owns seven Penn State school records and is primed to be among the 800-meter leaders in the NCAA this season.
Additional standout returners include Big Ten medalists Maddie Ullom, Sophia Toti, Faith DeMars, Kileigh Kane, Allison Johnson, and Lea Hatcher.
Newcomers include Australian freshmen Tayissa Buchanan and Ada Rand, as well as former PIAA stars Eva Kynaston and Maddie Miller, along with junior transfer Laura Roderick and freshman Olivia Nickelsen.
MEN’S TEAM
Junior Handal Roban returns to front the Penn State men’s middle-distance/distance group in 2025. Roban is a three-time First Team All-American in the 800-meter run and has The squad is comprised of a large number of returning stars in addition to Roban, including Olivier Desmeules, Carter Fitzgerald, Yukichi Ishii, Kaleb Nastari, and Darius Smallwood. Distance star Brian DiCola set the Penn State school record in the indoor 5K in the Nittany Lions’ December opener, becoming the sixth school record holder on Penn State’s middle-distance/distance group.
The men’s group welcomes impact transfers Jake Allen, Allon Clay, and David Locke to its 2025 ranks, along with freshmen Brenden Ruggles, Jackson Smith, and Michael Woolery.
FOLLOW THE NITTANY LIONS
Follow along with the team on our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateTFXC) and X/Instagram (@pennstatetfxc).